Celadon Trails!
by Bluemoonchild
Summary: Umm Pg for swearing and fights? This is my first fic, so please be nice!!! It's about a trainer who starts in Celadon! Hope ya like it. Not for people who like Erika's Jumpluff... That's the only real warning so far... Please review?
1. A new begining!

Light dances though the open window and eventually, onto my eyelids… I blink groggily trying to stay asleep for just a bit longer; I was having a really good sleep, dreaming that I'd be the champion, that I be the best trainer in the world. But the annoying light just refused to stop dancing… After many failed attempts to reclaim my sleep later, I finally just gave up. I glance at the clock, extremely annoyed that I'm awake…  
  
"You've gotta be kidding me!!! I'm awake at six fucking THIRTY ON A SATURDAY?!?!" I leap at the clock and Launch it out of the window making it smatter with a very satisfying sound against the tree just outside my window. "Shit, I really shouldn't have done that…. Now I need a new clock! I shoulda thought about that earlier… But nooo! Just throw things out the window without even thinking. Aren't I a genius." with one final glare around my room, I stride out muttering about how the sun's lucky it's too far for me to get at. My silvery blonde hair flowing behind me looking almost like stray strands of moonlight. But if you ever told me my hair was messy, stray or unkempt, I would personally kill you with my bare hands. I'm kinda proud about it.  
  
I strip down and get into the shower, letting the strong "Vaporeon Inc" shower jets massage my aching muscles from my work out last night. After finally cleaning up enough to look like my normal tall pale self, I step out of the warm water, shutting it off. Finally, after half an hour in the bathroom, I finally think I look good, dressed in all blue and with my hair tied back in a loose ponytail, I stride out of the bathroom and start walking downstairs to the second floor. I walk towards the kitchen not paying much attention to the world, still overly tired. I trip and stumble over a low laying object on the ground… and land on my knees right on the hard kitchen tile. I turn around quickly and launch a glare at the offending object, only to realize that it's my family's only fire type pokemon… I never said it was a strong one though, it's an unnaturally fluffy Vulpix, with it's browny red fur making it look more like a puff of fluff ball from a Jumpluff rather then the proud and noble Vulpix it's supposed to look like…  
  
"Fire Tails!!! Be careful! You're going to kill me one of these days! I swear, your just like that annoying Jumpluff Erika has…" I snap, not quite used to being awake so early in the morning, and showing the worse because of it…  
  
I quickly ran into the kitchen from there and grab a large steaming pot of coffee. Fire Tails just stares at me as I pour myself a cup with lots of milk and sugar. "Fire Tails stop staring at me like that! I'm six foot two, it's not like I need to worry about ending up short."  
  
"Vul Pix Vul ul! Pix…" The short dog with an amazingly high voice countered with amusement and friendliness deep in his voice.  
  
"Say what? I will not go psycho if I drink this much sugar! Sugar is natural; it must be good for you! Live off the planet man!" I reply, taking a sip of my coffee feeling awake, and in a really good mood thanks to the coffee!  
  
I look up and notice a note on the fridge from my annoying older sister, Erika.  
  
Waiiit, let me guess, your wondering if there is a connection between Erika the gym leader, and Erika the older sister of Aiko (me!). Well, I hate ta tell ya, But yup. Erika is my annoying older sister. She and I are opposites, we didn't use to be, until our parents disappeared soon after I was ten, Erika already was working the Celadon City gym, I moved in to live with her, and that was the year "Ash Ketchum" beat the elite four and that Blue fellow. She calmed down since I was seven, but I guess that's a good thing… It allows me to eat. We look like opposites, but generally, our sleeping habits are the same, we both love to sleep in. So I don't expect her to be up for a few hours…  
  
I reached out and grabbed the note, seeing Erica's favorite symbol, her 3- year-old Jumpluff. I concentrate to read her messy almost unintelligent scribbles.  
  
Hey Aiko,  
  
I know how horrible your memory is, so I'm just reminding you, today's the day you go to the lab for your pokemon! Remember though, it's expected of you to get a grass pokemon! Uphold the honor of the rose! Remember, here in Celadon there are nine-starter pokemon, 3 grasses, 3 fires, and 3 waters. So you have a wider selection, and don't refuse to decide like you did for the past five years. Good luck! And be at the lab by 8!  
  
Love ya little brother…  
  
Erika!  
  
P.S. Jumpluff is escorting you to make sure you get a grass type.  
  
I just remember the lab and look at the clock… "SEVEN THIRTY?!?!?! I gotta run!!!!" I grab my blue jacket, blue backpack, shoes and hat. I run out of the Celadon City Gym, and run towards the lab with Erika's Jumpluff floating after me like a deranged bird of prey.  
  
"PLUFF! PLUFFF!!! PLUFFFF!!!!!! JUUUUMPP!!!!" Erika's Jumpluff orders it's shrill voice seeming to lose the threat it's supposed to carry.  
  
"Yes, yes! I know! I'm hurrying up already, no need to tell me that I'm gonna be late, and how I'll disappoint the Queen." Normally I'd happily tell Jumpluff to go get sucked into an airplane, but today I'm a bit preoccupied by the fact I'm running and behind schedule.  
  
I run quickly to the lab, just barely making it before eight o'clock. I pant in exhaustion as the short power-party-pooper-fluff ball pushes me into the gym. All of the 8 other people just stare at me as I quickly regain my composure and look like I'm perfectly calm, relaxed and not going to pant myself to death. I flow over to the table where the Professor Bella achems herself and restarts talking about how important food is for pokemon to survive. I sigh, quite used to her plump form, her shoulder length gray hair and her bitter expression that seemed magnified by the horned rimmed glasses she wears. Her trench coat is an off white color and she's wearing a gray dress that proves just how fat, and how boring looking she is … Just the mere thought of her look makes you wanna yawn to death, minus her eyes… They just feel like sharp cold pieces of glass cutting through you.  
  
"Remember! Never leave a large city without a large amount of pokemon food! Because pokemon need to eat just like all you little brats." With that she points her old wrinkly finger at us. "And if any of you Hooligans do anything to embarrass Celadon, you are going to be dealt with… SEVERELY…" her last statement is followed by her usual loud booming cackle that just fills the air with horror like in a cheesy black and white movie.  
  
"Now, as per the six year and counting tradition here in Celadon city, Erika's little brat…. brother, will choose his first pokemon first. Remember, there are 3 types of each of the 3 starting elements. NOW CHOOSE YOU HOOLIGAN!" I walk to the 3 balls underneath the calming emerald green banner, and open all three pokeballs revealing the three-grass pokemon in a crimson light as they escape the pokeballs.  
  
"Oddish!"  
  
"Bellsprout…"  
  
"Hopip!"  
  
I look at all of them not sure which to choose. All three were souped up to be stronger then average. I sigh feeling Jumpluff watching me with its beady white eyes.  
  
"I, Aiko Rainbow, choose Oddish to be my starting pokemon. I hope the Hopip and Bellsprout find suitable trainers." I say in the formal voice I was taught to use in ceremonies like this by Erika. I call back Oddish in its green and blue pokeball. "I choose to name my Oddish, LunarFlower." I step back among the other eight people holding the pokeball in my hand. I look at the stats of my new starter pokemon, finding my LunarFlower to be a male, with average starting stats.  
  
"Very good you little brat, now the only descendent from Blaine Volcano of Cinnabar Gym. To avoid the volcano's fiery explosion he lived in Celadon City. And, for the seventh year in a row, he goes second. The little brat is even more incompetent then Aiko." The old professor says with pure hostility in her voice.  
  
The crowd splits as a 6'3 black haired and green-eyed person breezes over to the section marked with a flaming red banner. He, just as I did, releases all three-fire pokemon, in flashes of crimson energy, a Vulpix, a Growlithe and a Ponyta appear. I subconsciously step backwards from the fire that was flashing around Ponyta; raised on the preaching of fire is evil and way too dangerous…  
  
His voice cuts through the crowd like a dagger sending chills at it's cold and controlled sound. "I, Ayden Volcano, choose the pokemon Growlithe as my partner, I hope that all the other fire type pokemon find a suitable trainer…" He speaks while looking directly at me, his emerald green eyes locking with my sapphire blue in a challenging glare. "I name my Growlithe after the fire god, Hephastus." He reclaims his pokemon in a red and black pokeball and moves right beside me. I wait silently as the pokemon ceremony finally finishes with all the pokemon chosen. I quickly turn and try to walk out before feeling a hand on my shoulder…  
  
"Just wait right there. You are related to a gym trainer, and so am I. We are both going to be made into a field day. We should travel together and make it good publicity… Unless your scared that I'm going to beat you at everything?"  
  
"I'd rather go alone thank you, it'll help clear my thoughts and become a stronger trainer. However, thank you very much for the offer…" I say trying to sound as sweet and like Erika as I can.  
  
"Your turning down my offer? We'll fine, Aiko Rainbow, I choose you to be my rival. Prepare to have a pokemon battle." He says, with such a fiery tone it scares me…  
  
"I apologize, but I must decline your kind offer for the battle for now. My sister is expecting me at the gym, ask that Jumpluff." I say with a slight bow. I walk over to Jumpluff for once grateful for it's presence. I walk away following Jumpluff feeling Ayden's glare at my back.  
  
I run after my fluffy guide as it gets caught in the wind and starts flying towards the gym. I run into the gym and follow Jumpluff as it takes me to Erika muttering in its shrill voice how happy it is to finally get rid of me. And how I better not disappoint Erika, or how I'm going to wish to have never been taken in by her… It'd see to it…  
  
"Gee, thanks a lot Pluff, I'll miss you too! Honestly! I will! Not. Stupid lightweight, why don't you do something useful and get sucked up by an airplane; it'd make the world a lot happier. Except for Erika, but she's too sweet for her own good." I glare at the pokemon and walk towards Erika, who as usual was sitting in her gym looking very tired wearing clothes that looked place in an ancient east drawing… But that's her style, old fashioned yet comfortable and stylish. He hair seems to absorb the light and be pure black especially compared the colorful lively area around her.  
  
"I'm back, and this time I have a pokemon, as your power-Pluff would announce, it's a grass type." I say, pointing to the new pokeball on the sleeve of my dark blue jacket. As my voice finally gets through to my sister she blinks awake and looks at me with eyes so filled with pride it's almost scary…  
  
"I'm so happy for you! Little brother, I'm going to take you to the east of Celadon so you can get a Houndour or a Growlithe, to strengthen yourself against the bug and psychic or give yourself a bit more protection against the fire type." Erika says as she stands up and walks towards the door, with the eyes of all the junior trainers watching us as we walk out of the door into Erika's forest green Rapidash car. ((A/n, mustang luvers eat your heart out! Hehe!))  
  
I sit and watch as Erika drives out to the grassy east of the highly populated city. After a few hours of driving we finally get to the far east of the city and the tall grass where the pokemon lurk. She parks her car and we both step out and walk closer to the grass. She throws out her pokeball containing Bellossom out as the short flower pokemon emerges from the crimson light Erika just grins her enigmatic smile…  
  
"Lossom, can you please use your sweet scent? I know it's late for you to be awake, just I need to get my brother a new pokemon." She states calmly, and the sweet natured plant happily obliges releasing a sugary sweet smell out over the large grassy field. Shortly after the smell is released, barks are heard surrounding us, the sound of an attacking pack of Houndours… I look around nervously, watching Erika totally unsure if her Bellossom can handle a full pack of the savage dark type. Especially without her strongest move very useless right now, solar beam…  
  
I see the grass emerge with the shape of 6 short black skull capped dogs… all of them growling and breathing hard with their mouth glowing like fire was already going to shoot out…  
  
"Lossom! Use sunny day attack!" On command, the pink power plant just erupts into dance, and the field is illuminated into light… The light stings my eyes and quite obviously the eyes of the dark type pokemon… The mid-night black attackers all blink rapidly trying to regain their sight. "Lossom! Use your sleep powder attack!" The small flower dancer spins on its foot sending light blue powder over the pokemon sending them quickly to sleep. "Solar beam!!! Against the small puppy Houndour!" Bellossom quickly launches its devastating lime green beam at the smallest looking Houndour. I look in shock as Erika just throws a pokeball at the puppy barely blinking an eye. The red light surrounds the wild dog type pokemon capturing it in the small little confines of the ball. The ball rocks as the wild pokemon tries to break free… I stay behind Erika peering over her shoulder as the red light on the pokeball finally fades and turns gray. The other Houndour are all lying down, still sleeping from Bellossom's attack.  
  
Erika just walks over and calmly picks up the ball and tosses it to me, as if she wasn't shocked and it was just an event that happened every day… "Erika…? If you can do that to them… Why don't you just destroy all the trainers you come in contact with? You always act so… feeble! Just like Blaine! I was right… Your way to sweet for your own good…"  
  
She just grins her enigmatic smile and tosses me the ball. "What do you wish to name your him?" Erika asks, sticking to business.  
  
"Umm… Shadow Flare. Yeah, that'll do?" Erika registers the name and nods. I read the stats of my new Shadow Flare, realizing he must be very young, simply because he's only level five, which is really really low for this field of grass.  
  
"Aiko, make sure to be up early again tomorrow, you've got to be shipped off to New Bark town to start your journey. To aid you in your quest, I'll provide you with elemental stones, since unlike the majority of the world; Gym Leaders get a special bonus… We get our Elemental stones very easily. That, and we have a cult following in our cities."  
  
I sigh at the idea of getting up early, but nod knowing it was my choice to become a trainer, and I should follow through with it, even if it means having to get up very early. "Kay, Rika. Thanks a lot for catching a Houndour for me… Can I bring Fire Tails along with me?" I say as we get into the sports car and drive away from the sleeping pack.  
  
"I don't see why not… That short annoying midget always is mean to Jumpluff!" Erika declares, sounding like I should be shocked and appalled… I start to fall asleep, leaning against the window, watching the lights of the city come closer. I yawn loudly and let my world get black…  
  
I wake up in my bed, with a puffy fluffy thing in my nose… I yet again, glare at the offending object… Just to realize that it is Jumpluff, yet again being annoying, I look out of the window, still seeing the moon in the far night sky.  
  
"Pluff. JUUUUMMMPPPPP! Plu luff mp." Jumpluff declares in her loud high- pitched non-threatening voice.  
  
"It's time to get up? But it is still nighttime… Please tell me your just being an annoying dumb-butt hyper loser? Please?" I mumble in-between yawns. The Jumpluff kicks me out of bed and prods me into the bathroom.  
  
And I stumble to get ready, making sure I pack everything this morning into a kit. Then I stride back into the room, with my hair still undone and flowing around me, and pack everything and more then I think I'll need on my journey. I put on the three pokeballs I managed to obtain in the one day as a pokemon trainer. I carry my really heavy backpack to the kitchen, still only wearing only blue. I sigh and look around the kitchen, feeling old memories flood back. I listen to my headphones, almost erupting into tears at all the sad songs. I walk over to the fridge, seeing Erika's note pad with a note again…  
  
Good morning Aiko!  
  
Sorry I can't be awake for your departure, but you know me, I'm not a very good morning person… Don't forget to drop by Bill the Pokemaniac when you are in Goldenrod, he's a very nice man. And I told him you'd drop by. I'll see you when you get back to Celadon, call me when you get to New Bark, and I already have one of each type of elemental stone in your computer. Tell me if you need more, kay?  
  
Luv ya little brother,  
  
Erika!  
  
P.S. Jumpluff will see you off, and take care! Good luck! Train your Oddish like I showed you how at the gym, and you'll do great. Just try your best and I'll be proud of you!  
  
Jumpluff waddles back in, and prods me into the bus that's taking all the new trainers in Kanto to Saffron to be herded eventually to New Bark Town. I sigh and watch the other trainers get picked up, crossing my fingers that Ayden found another way to get there… But within 20 minutes, he walked on with his proud glare and sat down on the opposite side of the bus  
  
I watch the trainers walk in, only one of them catching my interest, a blue haired guy from Cerulean City who walked onto the bus looking for a spot to sit. I move my bag, and let him sit next to me, really happy that even though Ayden is on the bus, that he was sitting on the far opposite corner of the bus. I blink and get lost in thought about Ayden, wondering why he wanted to just fight me? He didn't even know me… When I hear an unfamiliar voice echoing inside my head. I blink and notice that the blue haired guy is talking to me…  
  
"Umm… Sorry! But can you repeat anything you just said… I kinda was a billion miles away…." I ask, blushing bright enough to make a Charizard seem pale.  
  
"WHAT?!?! YOU WERE IGNORING ME? Fine…. Hello! My name is Nick Cascade! My sister Misty made me go onto this bus… What's your name and where are you from?" Nick asks, his sky blue eyes watching me intently… He looks almost like a blue haired version of me… only his hair is short, spiked and very cool looking. That, and he's taller than me, around 6'4… Yup, we're have so much in common, we look nothing alike… But what I meant is that we're both thin, pale, and both have off-putting blue eyes.  
  
"My name is Aiko Rainbow, of the Cerulean gym, my sister is Erika, and she made me choose a starter grass type pokemon. And she gave me a rare Houndour from the east of Celadon!" I say with a small grin playing on my lips, my blush finally disappearing. "What type and what pokemon did you pick? I hear that Cerulean has the strongest water type pokemon…"  
  
"Yeah, since Misty was my sister, I was practically forced to choose one of the two water type pokemon… Between Poliwag and Wooper. I chose Poliwag. It's way cuter, and less annoyingly weak to grass types. And Misty gave me her Dewgong's baby Seel. What did you choose or get? And why do you have three pokeballs on your sleeve?" He says with a slight nod that made his spikes bounce.  
  
"Oh, because I chose an Oddish, named LunarPlant, then I received a Houndour named Shadow Flare, and brought my Vulpix, Fire Tails. " I grin and realize that I might be making my first real friend… I attended home schooling with my parents, or was tutored by the junior trainers and Erika, so I never went out and talked to people. I accidentally start staring at Nick, lost in thought about how good it is to have a friend, or at least to have a chance of having a friend.  
  
"What? Do I have a bug on my face?" He says, his voice getting a bit shrill… Obviously, the jokes Erika told about Misty's fear of bug pokemon were true… and ran through the family…  
  
"No! I was just thinking! Honestly, there is no bug on your face, it's actually on your shoulder…" I say with a slight smirk playing on my lips. I watch his reaction as he swatted everything off his shoulders like he was afraid they'd catch on fire if he didn't.  
  
"That's not funny!!! I'm extremely scared of bugs!!!" He says glaring at me.  
  
"Sorry! I was just joking, and I had ta find out if all the rumors Erika said were true!" I reply still grinning at him. Almost conveniently the bus came to a stop, and we where all kicked off it standing in front of the large building of Saffron's train tracks. The crackling sound of announcements erupt to life, and a voice that was almost impossible to understand speaks over them, "Will the four relatives of the Gym Trainers please line up so they get the first cabin? Otherwise, Line up in alphabetical Order!"  
  
I look at Nick totally confused… "There are four people related to gym trainers from the Kanto region?" I ask, a look of pure confusion written across my face, "I thought there was only going to be three…"  
  
"I think that was who that Ayden guy you talked about was standing with since we got to the city, she looked very frighteningly similar to Sabrina."  
  
"Well, let's board the train…" With that we flash our trainer badges, and go on the train sitting in a large luxury compartment, that obviously was first class. "I love trains!!! I used to go on them a lot when I was younger, when my parents where still around that is…" I sigh and start singing a child hood song, totally ignoring the fact that 3 almost complete strangers surround me… "Train train take me away, Far away, lead us to the future we will go…" I keep singing feeling the other 3 eyes stare at me as if I was about to explode into a neon green mess.  
  
"Okay, you freak, shut up. Your lucky that we can't have a pokemon battle on the train!" Ayden says interrupting my song.  
  
"I'm lucky? You're the lucky one! If we could fight, I could show you the honor of the grass type pokemon! And the power of the Rainbow family!" I say rather lamely, intimidating more with my glare then my words…  
  
"Well I shouldn't be surprised that your come back sucks. After all, your surrounded by that bimbo sister of yours all day, how could you ever grow to be intelligent? It never was close enough to rub off on you!" He says with a savage smirk in his voice.  
  
"And it's no wonder why you stink, hanging out with that old man of yours obviously affected your hygiene for the worse! You smell just like your grandfather, like a worthless, pathetic bum who has no city, and no house! He is a disgrace to gym leaders! They only let him in 'cause they feel bad!" I shriek. It was one thing to insult me, but no one EVER insults Rika. No one but me, that is!  
  
"Stop it! Both of you!" the echoy order of Nick and Sabrina's sister both yell at the same time. "Your acting like children, so stop it! This instant!"  
  
I glare at them both and mumble "Fine. He isn't worth my time anyway…" I just look out the window, and put on my headphones, drowning out the world.  
  
I look in shock at how fast the trees where whizzing past, the last train I was on was when I was moving to live with Erika, and back then they only had slow useless trains. Before I had a chance to fully enjoy the train, we stopped at Goldenrod city, the western duplicate of Celadon in my opinion. The only difference is, it smelt worse. Had fewer plants, and had a lot of normal pokemon walking around rather then the grass in Celadon.  
  
"Okay! New trainers listen up! You will be spending the remainder of the day here! You will then catch Pidgeot Airlines flight 333, make sure to have your trainer's id!" The train guard announced, waving to us goodbye. I walk out besides Nick, Ayden, and whatever Sabrina's sister's name is… I just sigh…  
  
"Okay, Sabrina's Sister, what is your name?" I ask, just getting annoyed by having to call her Sabrina's Sister.  
  
"Millicent Marsh. But you can call me Millie… What's your name?" Millie asks sounding totally off guard.  
  
"My name is Aiko Rainbow. And can you read minds like your sister can…?" I ask, sounding a bit more nervous then I mean to…  
  
"Yeah, my sister taught me how to use psychic abilities. But she also told me to use them only around people I seriously don't trust, or get bad vibes from…" Millie responds, barely showing any emotion in her voice.  
  
"That's why I read Ayden's mind. That guy is just a bit… Creepy…" I hear a voice say, only it sounded a bit echoier then a normal voice…  
  
I look at Ayden expecting him to be blowing a gasket but nothing changed….  
  
"And yes, I'm talking in your head, that's why Ayden doesn't hear me." The voice replies.  
  
"Millie?" I think-say in shock, not quite used to people talking to me like that…  
  
"The one and only" She responds with amusement in her controlled voice.  
  
"Um, hey guys, I am going to quickly go book a good room at the Pokemart, there are a lot of new trainers here… So I'm sure it's going to be packed…" I murmur, rather quietly, not used to being around so many people. I just run off towards the large sign flashing "Pokemart" in bright red and white lights. I walk through the electric doors and walk towards the counter towards an oddly familiar person with pink hair…  
  
"Hey… Aren't you from Celadon City? 'Cause I swear, you're Nurse Joy… Erika made me meet you when I went with her to get her pokemon healed…" I say in shock of seeing her there…  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry! But I'm not the Nurse Joy your thinking of; we're all over the world in every Pokemart you'll drop in to." Nurse Joy exclaims in her perma-happy voice. I'm really starting to doubt that she isn't the Nurse Joy from Celadon, because she talked just like that…  
  
"Okay, I'd like to have a room please? I need a place ta sleep." I ask, digging out my wallet from my pocket, expecting to have to pay something…  
  
"Okay! Here's your key! Check out is by 12. Please, enjoy your evening!" Nurse joy says, handing me a key with the little number 666 on it.  
  
"Is this a kinda joke? I've got room 666? Isn't like the evil not good number?" I ask completely confused about the luck I've been having lately… Getting up early, getting a rival…  
  
"Don't worry, that's just superstition!" Nurse joy says, before helping the next person in line… I walk back out and hail a taxi, not wanting to walk alone in a city after dark. After 6 and a half minutes of waiting, a taxi finally stops and lets me in.  
  
"Where to?" The taxi man says in a nasally voice.  
  
"Bill the Pokemaniac's house please?" I ask, trying to stay calm. Erika told me about Bill always liking and finding Eevee's, and that I should go talk to him when I'm in Goldenrod. I sigh, watching all the people walking about the streets, talking and laughing with their friends, looking like they were having a really good time.  
  
"That'll be 25.50 please." The nasally voice of the unstylish yellow cab diver interrupts my thoughts.  
  
"Oh, sure…" I say as I give him a few bills and coins. I get out of the car and walk over to the door knocking on it softly. The soft blue door opens revealing a medium height young man with messy untamed brown hair sticking out in any direction.  
  
"Umm Hello? May I inquire who you are and why are you at my house?" He asks, looking slightly unnerved that a complete stranger is at his door after dark…  
  
"Hello! My name is Aiko Rainbow, my sister, Erika of the Celadon City Grass type Gym wanted me to come see you while I was visiting here." I say trying to not scare him. I slightly bow, causing strands of my long hair to fall lose and get in the way of my eyes… I sigh and replace the hair underneath my hat, trying not to be blinded by the silvery blonde getting to my eyes.  
  
"Oh, so your Erika's brother, She told me you where coming by. Please come in, I'm sorry about the mess, my sister's not as clean as Erika…." Bill excuses himself, and lets me in.  
  
"It's not that bad, really!" I say trying to calm Bill down…  
  
"Your sister has said a lot of good things about you, she also asked if I could help you with your quest, so, I found an Eevee for you, I hope you like it! Please take good care of it for me, it's still only a baby." Bill says, with concern seeping through his whole being. I didn't have to be a mind reader like Millie to see he liked this Eevee.  
  
"I promise, I will take great care of your Eevee, and thanks a lot for your help!" I say, really happy to have an Eevee.  
  
"Here you go, and what are you going to name him?" Bill asks, tossing me the regular red and silver pokeball.  
  
"I'm going to name him Aquamarine." I say, thinking of a suitable name for a water pokemon to be. "Thanks again, I promise to treat this Eevee really well! I promise! But I should head back, I have to get up early tomorrow…"  
  
"No prob, just drop by next time your in Goldenrod, and we can have some tea, okay?" Bill asks.  
  
"It'll be my pleasure." I bow subtly and walk out towards the Pokecenter, crossing my fingers that I don't get lost. I feel strong and almost invincible with the four pokeballs attached to the sleeve of my blue trench coat. I know it's an unusual style, blue trench coats and all, but at least it's my style! I head towards the light again, my coat fluttering in the breeze behind me like a cape. I grin and walk into the Pokecenter. I look around and see the huge crowd of trainers all having to sleep on the floor or couches or whatever they could find… I walk to the elevator and call for it. I sigh, watching all the people seem happy that they're all crushed together, all talking and grinning. I blink a few times and run onto the elevator. I go to the hotel floor of the Pokecenter, and quickly run to my room. The clean smell of the hotel lingers in the air. I look around at the solid oak doors with highly decorated numbers… I had a long way to go to my room… The soft green carpet reminds me of the meadow in the Celadon city gym, and the walls seem like some of the trees and plants growing there. I sigh and keep an eye out for my room, getting annoyed at how many stairs I've had to go up. The repetitive decorations keep going and going as I run around the floors six times until I find my room… Room 666.  
  
I unlock the heavy oak door, and walk into the pitch-black room. I take my key out, and close the door, feeling around for a light switch or any other source of light. After stumbling around for a few minutes, I finally find the light switch, and engulf the room in light. The room looked like an extension of the hall, only with a bed, a television, and a computer…  
  
"Peachy… No food…" I mutter, taking off my jacket and my backpack hanging them both up on the hooks in the wall. I pull off my 4 pokeballs and release the captive pokemon into the room. With crimson light, the four pokemon appear, all with matching looks of confusion. "Umm… Hiya, my name is Aiko Rainbow, and I chose you or my sister allowed caught or gave, or Bill gave you all to me. Please, can we work together? I want to be a pokemon Master, but I can't do that without you. You may leave as soon as we go into the wild if you downright refuse to work with me, but I'd rather you stay, so we could become friends? And I know at least you'll stay with me, right Fire Tails?"  
  
"Vull!!!" The fluffy Vulpix states its agreement, happy to finally be on its pokemon journey. The other pokemon didn't look so certain, a stranger wanting them to follow his orders? That's kinda a frightening prospect; even I'd have to admit…  
  
"Okay guys, it's supper time, I know it's a bit late, but I was extremely busy with things…" I reach inside my backpack and pull out a few different types of pokemon food, and pour it into a few bowls that I found in the hotel room. I put the bowls down in front of the Eevee, Oddish, Houndour and Vulpix, watching them all dig in hungrily. I grin and watch them, devouring their food like there was no tomorrow, I'll have ta thank Erika for giving the food to me, it must be really tasty if they're eating it this quickly…  
  
"Hey, Aquamarine? Have you put any thought into what you wanted to be when you evolve? I mean you have five choices, would you want to be a Vaporeon?" I ask, hoping to have a water element on my team, but not willing to force the pokemon into making a choice.  
  
"Vee! Eve! Eeve vee evve!" The short little pokemon declares, totally confusing me with it's own little language…  
  
"Ummm…. Kay, Fire tails, can you translate for me?" I ask the pokemon, totally confused…  
  
"Vul vul, vul vul vul, PIX!" The fire pokemon clears.  
  
"Oh, kay! It wants to be a Vaporeon?" I walk to the computer, and withdraw one of the Water Stones Erika gave me. With a satisfied click, and a cold feeling in my palm, I received the item. I walked over to the Eevee holding the stone in the palm of my hand. "I'm not going to force you into being a Vaporeon, touch the stone if you want, don't touch the stone if you don't."  
  
The young Eevee looks at the stone with a weird look on its face, a mix of fear, and determination. The Eevee walks to the stone and raises it's paw, and puts it onto the stone. A bright light consumes the small brown creature, as it grows to three times its height, and becomes a more streamlined fish-like creature.  
  
"Vaporeon!" Aquamarine barks, joyful at it's triumph. I grin and stand up, watching Fire Tails, LunarPlant and Shadow Flare all stare at the newly evolved blue pokemon.  
  
"We should go to bed, we have an early morning tomorrow… How do you guys wanna sleep?" I ask, as I walk to my bed, turning on the light on the bedside counter. I walk over and click off the main light, and stand in the shadows, waiting for my pokemon's response. "Oh, and Fire Tails, please tell me what they say?"  
  
"Oddish!" My first pokemon exclaims.  
  
"Houndour…" came the roar of my second.  
  
"Vaporeon!" came the happy bark of the fourth.  
  
"Vulpix! Pix vul Pix pix!" came the barks of my pet turned third pokemon.  
  
"Okay… So you all want to sleep outside of your pokeballs? All right!" I strip down to my boxers, and crawl into bed, yawning loudly. I flick off the light, and let the darkness over whelm my room. And shortly after, I drift off to sleep, sighing contently as I snuggle closer to my blanket and pillow… 


	2. The first fight!

I wake up to the sound of my pokemon making their assorted sounds… I blink, letting my eyes get used to the tediously bright light coming in through the windows of my unlucky room. I get out of bed, and look through my bag for my second of seven outfits of clothes. I put on the black silk t-shirt, and the black baggy jeans, grinning at just how pale it makes my skin look. I look into the mirror, and make sure I look well enough to go out…I leave my pokemon their food, and quickly run to the washroom, where I shower, and finish putting my outfit together, with the silver neck chain that's holding a blue sapphire gem in the shape of a snowflake. I walk back to my room, growing tired by the repetitive wallpaper.  
  
"Okay! It's time to go! Everyone, into your pokeball!" I say with as much energy as I can, considering the fact that I've had no food or caffeine for around twenty-four hours… "Okay! LunarFlower, Shadow Flare, Fire Tails, and Aquamarine, we have ta go! Our flight's leaving in around an hour. And I have to go out to eat…" With that, I make my four pokemon return to their pokeballs, and attach them to my dark blue jacket sleeve. I walk out of my hotel room, and go down the six flights of stairs until I finally see the elevator I went up on. I sigh, and return to the main level, finding everyone still asleep.  
  
I walk over to the counter and put the key behind Nurse Joy's desk, and head towards the restaurant and food portion of the Pokecenter, craving food. I walk up to the counter, waiting for the Nurse Joy behind it to finally realize I'm here…  
  
"Oh! Good morning! Your up early, how may I help you?" Nurse Joy asks, still obnoxiously happy, especially for this early in the morning.  
  
"I'd like coffee, with lots of milk and sugar, and ummm…." I rub the back of my head thinking of what to eat… "Oh! I know! Butterfree honey on bread please? Two slices of it?" My stomach roars at the thought of the food…  
  
"Here ya go! That'll be… 5.50!" She says her grin making me seriously think she has been drinking way too much gin…  
  
"Okay…" I hand her the money, and pick up the tray she gives me… I walk over to a table, and sit down, looking out at the sunrise. I slowly start eating my breakfast, watching as people slow start coming in… I watch the clock on the wall, waiting till it finally strikes 7:00am before heading off to the airport for my 9:00am flight. Which means, I gotta wait an hour… I look at the door, watching people swarm in, I sigh, as almost all of them come in large clusters of people, swarming over this place like a hive of Beedrills. I see the familiar form of the most annoying person walks in… Ayden Volcano. I watch him, hoping he doesn't see me… Hoping that I don't have to waste my Hour fighting him… but of course… Just as everything else in my life erupts into flames, Ayden sees me, and starts heading my way…  
  
"You can't say you're busy this time! No Jumpluff to run away after. Aiko Rainbow, I challenge you to a trainer battle!" Ayden says in his commanding voice, obviously trying to intimidate me.  
  
"So, your willing to put so much energy out so early in the morning? Honestly… Don't people ever take it easy anymore? Fine, I accept your challenge! Let's go outside. I don't want to disturb anyone." I say, sighing at the idea of having to put out so much energy so early in the morning. I follow him out the door, watching him clear everyone out to make a small area for our pokemon battle. I sigh, as he takes the area far away from me.  
  
"Let's start! We will use only one pokemon each! And when I'm through with you, your gonna go running home crying to your bimbo sister!" Ayden yells across to me. I only sigh at the older trainers childish behaviors…  
  
"Okay, to start this round, I choose you, Shadow Flare!" I yell, throwing the pokeball containing my dark fire type pokemon, releasing the said pokemon in a crimson light.  
  
"You've got a Houndour? An interesting turn of events, but still, no match to my Hephastus!" He yells as he throws out his pokeball containing his orange and black dog pokemon… The two dog-pokemon circle each other, Ayden's Growlithe 4 inches taller then my sleeker darker Houndour.  
  
"Shadow Flare! Use your Ember!" I yell, crossing my fingers watching the flames erupt from Shadow Flare's mouth. I see the blast hit Growlithe in its front left paw, causing it to stumble and fall down momentarily before leaping back up, it's orange fur burned, and obviously hurting.  
  
"Hephastus! Use your Bite attack!" Ayden yells to his pokemon, causing it to leap at Shadow flare with its sharp ivory white teeth bared and ready to draw blood.  
  
"Shadow Flare! Try to avoid it!" I yell watching intently, hoping that the move doesn't do much damage… I see the obviously quicker Houndour quickly leap away from Growlithe, only to have its back paw caught by the Orange puppy's mouth. "Shit… Shadow Flare, use your Ember!" I yell, hoping that the pokemon isn't too hurt; I see the blood dripping from its paw onto the ground underneath, causing a crimson stain on the cement… The young Houndour opens it's large mouth, and launches an ember blast at the larger pokemon, aiming right for its head. The flame shoots across and hits the other pokemon knocking it back quickly, a critical hit. The puppy pokemon's facial fur is stained black by the ash of its once bright orange fur.  
  
"Grrrowlithe!!!!" Hephastus growls once, before falling down, knocked out.  
  
"Hephastus!" Ayden cries, recalling his pokemon into its pokeball. "Fine here! You think your good?" Ayden yells, throwing me the victory money before quickly running back into the Pokecenter to get his pokemon treated.  
  
"You did great Shadow Flare!" I yell, and run over to my pokemon, that was still lying on the ground. I take off my backpack, and pull out a potion and spray it onto Shadow Flare's paw watching the bleeding stop and the paw to heal back to normal and his health to return 25/25. "You deserve a break, I'll recall you into your Pokeball. Kay?" I recall the tired pokemon, and check its stats once more, just to see if it raised a level, or learned anything new… I jump up in triumph as I find that Shadow Flare went up a level and a half from the tough battle.  
  
After putting my backpack back on I walk back into the Pokecenter; looking at the clock… only half an hour has passed, meaning still have time to waste. I look around through the swarm of people, and see Nick sitting alone at a table, looking barely awake. I walk over to him, having nothing better to do, practically doing a dance to get through the swarm of people moving about in herds. I finally get to Nick, after five minutes of effort. "Good morning! How was your sleep?" I ask cheerfully, forgetting the fact that I ditched him last night.  
  
"Fine. Beyond the fact I couldn't get a room, and had to sleep with tones of strangers, a lot of which had frightening obsessions with bug pokemon." Nick murmured, sighing loudly, before perking up again. "Hey, did you hear someone beat Ayden in a pokemon battle? Everyone's gossiping about it, I wonder who did it?" He wondered out loud, obviously thinking of what trainers had suitable types to take on fire pokemon.  
  
I meekly raise my hand, "I did! He wanted to have a Trainer battle, he used his Growlithe, and I used my Houndour. Growlithe's bite attack's damage was reduced by the darkness part of Shadow Flare." I explain, hoping he believes me.  
  
"Really? Wow, that's pretty cool, Growlithes are really tough for a first stage pokemon. Misty told me so!" Nick told me, grinning at his chance to prove his intelligence. "According to Misty, Arcanine is one of, if not the, strongest fire type pokemon!"  
  
"Humph, Ninetails and Houndoom are better…" I mutter, in pure favoritism of my own pokemon and their types.  
  
"Great debate, you must have went through English with 100%, right?" Nick mutters, very sarcastically.  
  
"I didn't go to school, I was taught by my parents, my sister, and her loyal league of junior trainers! And if I thought I was going to be graded, I would have been more proper, and do a better job…" I mutter with almost no sound.  
  
"If you say so!" Nick replies grinning.  
  
"I do!" I return, grinning and sticking my tongue out. I look at the clock, and see it's about time to go for the Pidgeot flight 333, so we get good seats! "Okay, let's go, we want good seats. I've always been afraid that they'd like, lock us up in cargo if we're too late…"I declare, as I stand up, and start walking towards the door… Stepping on a lot of feet just to get them to move. When I finally get out of the overly crowded building, I mutter, "Stupid people oughta watch where they're standing…"  
  
"What was that?" Nick asks, not hearing me as he squeezes through two people, and outside, looking like an amusingly blue worm.  
  
"Never mind, lets go get our seats." I say, walking to the street, and starting to try and hail a taxi. I sigh, and finally see one come to a stop, the yellow standing out against the gray surroundings. "Can you take us to the Airport please?" The taxi pulls away from the curb with us in it, and drives towards our destination… I look out the window, watching people and things fly by as we head towards what's hopefully the new 1-year- old airport…  
  
"According to Misty, the Airport was built a year ago and connects all of Jhoto together, however, the Kanto region preferred the old fashioned way of travel and refused to build them." Nick rattled off again, how much information does this kid know? Honestly, if he doesn't stop talking, I'd think that he'd be a genius.  
  
The city rushes by quickly, and the airport comes into view with the airplanes taking off and landing, looking like an in sky ballet. The cab driver stop, and I pay him his money, and put my backpack back on. Nick and I stand, staring in awe at the huge Air Port before walking in, and looking for the front desk.  
  
"Hi, how may I help you?" A tall man in a suit asks, looking down on us.  
  
"Umm… We're here for Pidgeot flight 333. Umm… Here's my I.D.?" I say, with a lot of uncertainty in my voice… I flash my I.D. and follow the direction he points us to… I look up the looming escalator, and step on it uncertainly, really not liking escalators. I sigh and subconsciously move behind Nick, as the escalator ends, signs lead us to our destination, swarms of people going in every direction, almost like at an intersection at a road. I follow Nick as he weaves his way through the crowds, and finds our airplane. We flash our I.D. yet again, and get shuffled to first class, yet again.  
  
"Wow, if I knew being related to Erika gave me such benefits, I'd never have whined about her to Fire Tails." I say, already starting to miss my sister.  
  
"Yeah, I know what you mean, Misty could be really really whiny, annoying and bitchy at times, but I still miss her."  
  
I yawn, sitting down in the fluffy soft violet cushions of the first class seats, and sigh, ready for a long, long trip. The overly formal, over rated classical music is turned on, echoing around the first class department like eerie wails of the opera… I yawn loudly; listening to people who wanna look like penguins wasn't my idea of fun. I lean back in my chair, and do up my seat belt, just incase I don't wake up before take off… I hear the click of Nick's belt, and become aware that he was doing the same thing I was. I sigh, and start to fall asleep against the fluffy violet chairs. 


	3. The first day out can be a killer...

I hear the sound of voices from behind me, piercing through my dark sleepy realm. I blink my eyes, seeing color, and the real world emerges… Yet again. Who ever coined the phrase there's no rest for the wicked oughta get shot. I blink, feeling silk-like material on my cheek rather then the fluffy chair material… I move my head, and look at what I used as a pillow in my sleep, only to find it attached to Nick… more like, it was Nick… I slept on Nick's shoulder… No one better have taken a picture of the oh so cute moment of weakness, or someone will have a camera up their…  
  
"Flight 333 to New Bark Town is now preparing to land, Please, wake all the passengers up, and raise your seats to the up right position. For all you people silly enough to eat the cardboard we call food, please put away your supper tray." The violet haired flight attendant announces loudly enough for the whole plane to hear.  
  
"Hey! Nick, you gotta wake up!" I declare as I start poking Nick to make him wake up. "We're almost there!!!"  
  
"Huh? What? Stop poking me…" Nick says groggily.  
  
"Or what? Your going to yawn me to death?" I say with an evil grin coming across my lips.  
  
"No, but I can tickle you to death." Nick threatens, making my eyes bulge out… Unbeknownst to him, I'm wayyy too ticklish for my own good…  
  
"Umm… No, that's quite all right… Really, you don't have to tickle me! Honestly!" I say with my voice getting a bit shrill. I hate being tickled… Especially out in public!  
  
"What? You scared? Tsk tisk tsk… Can't the great Aiko Rainbow save himself from big bad Nick, and his tickle attack?" Nick says, his voice dripping in friendly sarcasm.  
  
I blush and try to inch away from him; the mere thought of him tickling me out in public frightens me to no end. "Of course I'm scared!!! It's not proper to tickle people out in public!" I say, my eyes as wide as saucers.  
  
"Oh? So you like being proper, right?" He replies, his voice sounding pure evil… With an evil glint in his eyes…  
  
"In public, yeah, Erika raised me that way, to be poised, and proper, just like a flower." I say, barely thinking about my response.  
  
"And flowers are ticklish?"  
  
"What? How the hell would I know? It's not like I go around tickling flowers!"  
  
"Well, Let's find out!"  
  
"What? NO! NOOO!!!!" But my answer falls onto deaf ears, and he starts tickling me, making me erupt in laughter. I blush trying to knock his hands away, but they never stop tickling me… I feel like the whole plane is staring at me as I laugh, blush and try to free myself all at the same time. I finally grab Nick's hands, and hold them up above his head so he couldn't tickle me anymore. "HA! I win!" I say, my face blushing crimson red, and my hands barely holding onto Nick's as he tries to restart his tickling onslaught. For a short guy, he's really strong…  
  
"Let go! Lemme Go!"  
  
"Only if you don't savagely attack me! Or tickle! Promise!!!"  
  
"Fine, I promise not to tickle or attack you!" Nick says, pouting a bit. God, he acts like such a kid sometimes. I release his arms and grin at my triumph over the evil forces of Nick. "Oh don't look so smug! I'll getcha next time!"  
  
"Eeep…." I whine, hoping it's an empty threat, but some how knowing it isn't…. I look around the first class seating area nervously, seeing who was here. Ayden was sitting in front of me, on my left. And Millie was sitting beside him, on the right side. Her raven black hair flowing like water as she talked and moved. However, She didn't talk or move with me. Meh, Ayden has Millie, and I have Nick.  
  
"Hey, Aiko, how long until we get to New Bark Town?"  
  
"Umm… like not too long, the flight attendant said so!"  
  
"Okay."  
  
"Kay!"  
  
"Kay!"  
  
"Kay!" I burst out laughing at the child-like conversation, and how fun it was. When I was at the gym, everyone sucked up to me, or acted like they were goddesses themselves. They sucked up because they wanted to look good to Erika, those who acted like they were gods/goddesses wanted to seem powerful and intimidating. I was caught in a suck and blow marathon… No fun if you're alone.  
  
I feel a slight bump as the plane touches the runway, and then I feel the steady decrease of speed from there. After coming to a full and complete stop, and taxiing around until our plane drove to the airport part, I undid my seatbelt, and finally stood up, my legs sore from sitting.  
  
"Well that was as fun as sitting still for 5 hours." I mutter to myself, looking around as we move towards the door behind us. I feel Nick standing really close to me as we shuffle our way to the door and finally out into the larger Airport. I see a short balding man wearing a tweed suit holding a large sign with rainbow letters spelling 'New Trainers, come here!'. "Hey, Nick, apparently we have ta go over there..."  
  
"Ummm… Okay?" Nick responds, his voice drenched in uncertainty. We head over to the man and a large crowd forms around us. I look at my sleeve with my 4 pokeballs on it. I nervously pull one off and unconsciously start polishing it with my sleeve. I sigh waiting for things to get started, toying with any small things within my reach. After fifteen minutes of waiting, the guy with the sign finally starts talking.  
  
"Welcome to Jhoto, you're here because your gyms are too advanced for trainers to begin with. You will begin your pokemon journey shortly, however… You will be asked to leave in small groups or alone rather then a huge mob, and stay here for a night or two so there is more space between you and your rivals. There are exactly 50 trainers here. Only one in ten are expected to continue their journey to its end. Most of you will find a place you like, and settle. Follow me, and we will decide on who goes in what order. There are new guards positioned around New Bark Town to insure that you won't leave before your turn." He dictates barely taking a breath. "Now, to decide who will go first, you should decide if your going in groups or by yourself, and go besides the person or people you want to be with." With that, he gives people a few minutes to shuffle about, but I already knew whom ((A/n, THE COMPUTER MADE ME SAY IT!)) I wanted to go with….  
  
I spin on my heel and look at Nick, "Hey, do ya wanna go as partners? It'd be more fun!" I say with a grin, and crossed fingers.  
  
"Oh sure, I'd rather not be alone anyway, especially since my pokemon would be exceptionally easily beaten by a single grass pokemon." He says, sighing. So, we stand really close together and wait for the short funny looking man with the big nose to begin talking again.  
  
"We will go randomly, if someone says the color I'm thinking, that will determine the order you go, raise your hand if you have a guess. Okay, begin." And with that, the race was off… for about three seconds.  
  
"Yes, the girl with the long black hair? What's your name?"  
  
"Millicent Marsh. And here's my traveling buddy, Ayden Volcano. I guess the color you chose is… Violet." Millie replies, her voice devoid of emotion.  
  
"Yes, That was the color, you two may leave with a head start. Go!" The short funny man demands, waving his arms franticly, looking like a duck. "Next round!"  
  
I raise my hand, and cross my fingers yet again… only to not be picked for the next 6 turns.  
  
"Yes, you? The guy with the long blonde hair?" He asks, pointing right at me.  
  
"My name is Aiko Rainbow, and my traveling partner is Nick Cascade. I guess that the color you chose was silver?"  
  
"That is correct! You are going sixth!" He says, in his annoying voice that sounds like the quack of a duck. "You may leave in half an hour!"  
  
"Okay…" I reply and move away from the group of soon to be opponents.  
  
"Well, in half an hour, we'll be going off to start our journey, I wonder how we'll do? I mean one in ten make it… Will we be the one, or the nine?" He asks, with uncertainty in his voice.  
  
"We will become what we want to become." I say, with only little more determination in my voice. I sigh, when I have to take charge or give confidence, I find that I sound an awful lot like Erika. I run over to a payphone booth that was conveniently standing near the group…I quickly pick up the phone and put in a coin, and dial the number of the grass gym in Celadon.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Hey Erika! It's me! You told me to call ya when I was here… So, here I am, calling you and all..."  
  
"Oh! It's great to hear you again, did you go talk to Bill?"  
  
"Yeah, and he gave me an Eevee… Thanks Erika. And I already used the water stone you gave me to turn Eevee into a Vaporeon. And I'm going on my journey with Nick, Misty's brother."  
  
"That's good to hear, I've met him before when we had a gym leader meeting in Cerulean, he seemed pretty nice. Although, is he as scared of bugs as Misty is?"  
  
"Yep! It was extremely funny watching him trying to brush off the imaginary bug that was on his shoulder."  
  
"You should have seen what Misty did to Bugsy the first time she met him, and he was playing with his Spinirak… I felt bad, it took a few days for Bugsy to recover from the shock of losing his Spinirak."  
  
"SHE KILLED HIS SPINIRAK?"  
  
"Nope, she ran after it and chased it out of her gym, it never returned…"  
  
"Hey sis, I'm really sorry, but I'm starving, I'll talk to you later, Kay?"  
  
"Okay, good luck on your quest!" With that, I hang up, and walk out and over to Nick.  
  
"Now, let's go to a restaurant, I'm dying of hunger… "  
  
"Didn't you eat before we went on the plane…?"  
  
"Yeah… But I'm hungry again now!"  
  
"You can't be serious! Your breakfast was huge!"  
  
"But I'm hungry now!!!"  
  
"Fine… Let's go…"  
  
"YAY!!!" I grab his wrist and run off in a random direction to find food. Eventually finding a large fast food place. I ran in, and skimmed over the menu, my stomach rumbling like a wild animal. I walk up to the counter and order large fries, a large drink and 2 burgers and pay the bill. "Thanks!" I sip my drink, and start heading towards the head of the town, with Nick following behind me as I pig out on the fast food. The town's exit starts looming in front of us, showing us the start of our journey… I grin, euphoric that I'm finally out on my semi-own. Sure, I wasn't alone, but I still wasn't depending on someone, like I was on Erika, or my parents. I'm finally free!  
  
We see the guard that the short funnyman was talking about; he was looking suspicious and glaring at everyone who walked within 20 meters of the exit. I look at a large electric clock that was standing near the exit, making sure that half an hour went by, which luckily it did. I walk up to the exit guard, and looked into his royal blue eyes armed with a glare that made you want to go and hide. "Umm…. Excuse me officer, but the man who met the new group at the airport told us to leave after half an hour. May we go through?"  
  
"Name, and proof of identity?"  
  
"My name is Aiko Rainbow, brother to the Celadon Gym Leader, Erika." I flash my id and put it away…again…  
  
"And My name is Nick Cascade, brother to the Cerulean Gym Leader, Misty." With a flash of his id, the guard gives a nod, his glare lessening making the vibe in the air feel less hostile.  
  
"You may go through, be careful, from here on out there are wild pokemon that will attack and might hurt you or your pokemon. Do not leave if you're not prepared because there is no way to turn back time." His gruff and tough voice says with a twitch of concern, before glaring at the next person behind us.  
  
"Thank you, have a nice day!" I say before running off ahead, with Nick just behind me. I grin and slow down, and start walking careful not to trip over a fallen twig or anything else. I walk through the tall grass, crossing my fingers trying to find the correct path…  
  
"Do you know where you're going?"  
  
"Do you?"  
  
"Does it matter? You are in front of me, remember Aiko?"  
  
"We'll find our way! Don't worry! Luck is on our side!" I say, trying to calm him down just as much as I'm trying to calm myself.  
  
"Fine, but if we starve to death, the pokemon and I are eating you first."  
  
"WHAT?!? Thanks oh so much for your concern!"  
  
"Calm down! Just joking… I know the path there is no need to worry! Here… Let me go in front so we don't get horribly lost." Nick replies, with amusement dancing in the shorter persons voice.  
  
"Fine. But if we get lost, I'm so going to kill you." I stop, and let him pass in front of me…  
  
"Maybe we should shut up for a bit, so we don't scare everything away?"  
  
"…'  
  
"Thanks for your agreement!" After what felt like forever, but what was actually closer to five minutes, a rustling sound is heard to our side… I turn around on my heel and see a small squirrel like pokemon jump out, a large O on its chest and a striped brown tail. "Look! A pokemon… But… What is it?"  
  
"It's Sentret, a normal type of pokemon that evolves into Furret. Do you mind if I battle and try to catch him? He's rather cute…" Nick asks…  
  
"Fine! But I get the next battle!"  
  
"Okay… Go Poliwag!" Nick commands, as he throws a blue pokeball that erupts open, revealing the short tadpole pokemon. "Poliwag use your bubble attack!" Poliwag obeys instantly releasing the glowing white bubbles into the air aiming at the attacking squirrel. It hits, but doesn't hurt it much… It responds to the attack by using its tackle attack, knocking the tadpole back a few feet. "BUBBLE! AGAIN!" The small blue pokemon waves it's tail madly as it blows more and more bubbles at the stronger pokemon, luckily for Nick, two of them hit it's enemies eyes, temporarily blinding it. The Sentret crashes into the tree, when trying to tackle again. Stunned and temporarily weakened, Nick throws his pokeball absorbing the pokemon into the crimson light. As the ball rattles on the ground, Poliwag stands their waiting for anything panting deeply, obviously tired from the strain of the fight. The ball rattles as the pokemon fights to get free, only to be trapped on it's third time, the crimson light on the ball deactivates, and fades to the grayish white.  
  
Nick leaps in euphoric joy, "YES! I CAUGHT SENTRET!" He leaps into the air again and again…  
  
I pull out a small info entry pad and calmly ask, "Do you wish to give a name to the Sentret you just caught… He is a male."  
  
"Ummm, no, it's easier for me to just call him Sentret or Furret. Thank you." With a slight nod he practically jumps over to his pokeball and picks it up doing a mini dance back over to me.  
  
"Hey Nick, since we both have more then one pokemon each, how bout we have a friendly match? To strengthen up our team, ya know?" I grin.  
  
"Umm… sure, but don't use your Oddish, it'd be no match then." Nick replies uncertainly.  
  
"Okay deal. We will have a one on one match using only water type pokemon!" I say with a grin as I pull the pokeball with Vaporeon off my belt. "Go Aquamarine! We're gonna battle!" Aquamarine appears in a crimson glow and sits on the ground, his long mermaid tail moving slowly, making it look like Aquamarine was rather bored with the idea.  
  
"Oh? You have a Vaporeon, You never told me about him… Go, Seel!" Nick yelled as he threw the second ball out to make the white water pokemon to appear.  
  
"Aquamarine! Use your tackle attack!" With that, my aqua blue pokemon leaps off of the ground, and bounces off of a fallen log at the white pokemon using it's shoulder to knock Seel back a few inches, the other pokemon had over a hundred pounds to the blue water dog.  
  
"Seel! Use your head butt!" The snow-white pokemon waddles after the Vaporeon, trying to get close enough to hurt it with its thick skull and sharp horn.  
  
"Don't let it get near you!" However, whether fate, or luck was against me, the dog tripped over a small stone while seeing how close his attacker was. Within seconds, the heavy pokemon came within reach… Just as the Vaporeon stood up trying to scurry away from the violent water pokemon, Seel used its head butt, leaving a large bleeding scratch down the chest and stomach.  
  
"Shit… Aquamarine… You win Seel and Nick! Good job! But you did a great job too Aquamarine!" I walk to my pokemon, pulling out one of my 4 potions. I see the blood stain the ground quickly as it poured down its side. I sprayed the potion on, severely lessening the wound, but not removing it entirely. I pull out a small rag and wipe the blood off the skin, careful of the small scab on the Bubble Jet pokemon. I scratch behind its ears and recall it into its pokeball, letting it rest. I walk over to the Seel and pet it's head, even though I'm disappointed in losing, at least my friend won. Plus, I knew I could have kicked his butt if I used my Oddish. I grin at the thought, and stand up.  
  
"Well that was interesting… Congratulations…" I use my hand held computer to scan the Seel to check if it got stronger, or learnt anything valuable. "Umm... Your pokemon leveled up to Level six, however, it learnt no new moves. Let's start going again, we should either be in town, or start setting up camp in an hour, Kay?" I ask with a grin.  
  
"Sure." We start walking again, only having an hour to sunset starts. The tall grass breaks into a sandy clearing with a Pidgey scratching at the sand. I throw out the pokeball containing Fire Tails with a grin.  
  
"VULLL!" The fire pokemon shrieks loudly making the Pidgey look at it startled.  
  
"Fire Tails, use your Ember attack on Pidgey! Be careful not to knock it out!" I ask, seeing Fire Tails open his mouth, and launching a blast of fire at the smaller bird. The bird leaps into the sky and flaps, trying to avoid the fire, it barely hits the agile baby bird, scorching its wings making the Pidgey fall onto the ground. "Okay! Pokeball! GO!!!" I shout throwing the ball at the brown and cream bird. The ball captures the weak bird, and rattles back and forth to no avail, once again. The pokemon remains caught! "Yes!" I pull out my hand held computer, yet again… And enter the name for my new Pidgey, Air Crystal. I grin and pick up the pokeball. I look at my Vulpix, and walk over to him. "You did great Fire Tails! I'm proud of you!" I scratch behind his ears, and return him to his ball. "Okay, let's go!"  
  
We walk off again, following the path all the trainers made, until we heard a loud dinging bell that sounded five o'clock. "Should we, like, start camp, or should we keep going?"  
  
"Let's set up camp, that way we won't be caught trying to do it after dark."  
  
"Kay. Umm… What do we do? I was raised on lodging and more… umm… higher class things." I ask uncertainly.  
  
"First, we should find a clearing, which we've already done, decide if we're going to use a tent, or sleep under the stars, and prepare with those. We also have to find firewood, cook supper, then the usual. It's rather simple actually."  
  
"Kay, I'm going to use my tent, it has everything I need, and it has a thick see through plastic roof so I can see the stars anyway. Erika bought it for me the first time I was going to go get my pokemon. I guess waiting for so long to get my pokemon was a good thing, she always bought me new things."  
  
"Yeah, Misty was like that too, more so then my other three sisters." After we finished our conversation we started trying to set up our tents, both of us had our own. Nick's was a deep royal blue with the crest of the Cerulean gym while mine was forest green with the sign of the Celadon gym. I smirk with happiness as I finish putting up my tent. I look at Nick who just finished a minute before me.  
  
"Okay, should I go to get the fire wood? And you can do…whatever?"  
  
"Sure, if that's all right with you?" I just prowl off, not responding to his final question, and disappear into the long grasses. I throw all my pokeballs, revealing all of my five pokemon.  
  
"Okay, everyone, can you help me find firewood? I'm going to try to; just I'm a bit incompetent at this sort of thing, so I really need your help! Please?" They all jump in agreement and disappear into the long grass… except for my Pidgey who just flew off looking. I run around in the tall grass finding logs and twigs to use as firewood. I trip over a stone into another clearing, and see a large swarm of Rattata. The wood goes flying out of my arms and knocks a few of the Rattata's in the head, making them lay deathly still. The 12+ purple rats all stand and look at me… Except the ones I knocked out…or killed?  
  
"RATTATA!" One of them shrieks as it leaps at me… I jump to the side; the Rattata misses me, but just barely.  
  
"HELP!" I yell, desperate for some twitch of luck to happen. I flip backwards nearly avoiding two more leaping rats. As I land, all 13 of the rats circle around me, all prepared to leap and attack me. One of them leaps before all the others; I kick at it, hitting it in the stomach with the tip of my shoe. It falls to the ground and doesn't move. "HELP!" The other twelve all talk in their Rattata language, prolly discussing who gets what part of me. I hear rustling in the bushes, and cross my fingers, hoping it's a friend, rather then a foe.  
  
"Oddi!" I hear as my first pokemon leaps out of the grass, looking very worried.  
  
"LunarFlower! You have to go get help! You can't fight against twelve Rattata's! You just can't!" I yell, hoping my pokemon listens.  
  
"Oddish!" It declares as it shakes its head, making it's large green leaves shake crazily. I see a small green light erupt from all the 12 Rattata's and go flying into the Oddish… Obviously it's absorb attack.  
  
The rat pokemon look tired, and a bit weaker, they all don't know why, and with one final shriek of "Rattata!" they all leap at me at once… I watch in horror as the green light absorbs their energy, but doesn't knock them out yet… They all use hyper fang on me, making me fall to the ground, pouring out blood onto the tan-brown dusty ground.  
  
"Not good…" I mutter, watching them prepare to attack me again. Then, one final green orb leaves the Rattata pack and they fall onto the ground, knocked out. I watch as LunarFlower absorbs the green orb… I stumble over to LunarFlower… "Can you get the others to tell Nick I'm on my way back and to prepare the first aide kit? I have to bring back these logs." I ask, picking up the logs again, ignoring the sharp shooting pain in my body. I carry all of the large sticks and twigs, until I finally find the clearing we set up camp in. All of my pokemon are there pacing around looking rather nervous. "I'm back…" I mutter, dropping the logs and then, shortly after, falling onto the ground, losing consciousness.  
  
I wake up to the sound of monitors and the smell of sterile white sheets. A bright white light hits my eyelids, making me refuse to open them, and curse under my breath.  
  
"Aiko? You're awake?" I hear a voice ask, making my head ring in pain…  
  
"If you have to talk, be quiet… Or die." I warn, rubbing my throbbing temples.  
  
"I'll take that as a yes… I'll go ask Nurse Joy for an aspirin." The voice responds, the voice familiar but still to distorted to be sure.  
  
"Thanks, and if she doesn't have any, can you ask if she can just shoot me, it'd be less painful?" I mutter, keeping my eyes closed, wondering where I fully am… I hear footsteps, and someone sit down in a creaky chair to the right of me… I open my eyes and am blinded by the pure white room.  
  
"Why are places of life devoid of color?" I mutter before looking at the person on my right. "Erika? What are you doing here? I thought you were supposed to be in Celadon?" I blink in shock, wondering why my sister would be in Jhoto.  
  
"Don't you remember? You were attacked by a group of Rattata's, and you lost a lot of blood… You were rushed to Cherrygrove City, Nick sent a message via your Pidgey to tell them you where in danger, and they sent an ambulance and took you here. That was five day's ago… Are you feeling better?" Erika's soft voice sounded as though she hasn't slept for a long time, and was drenched in concern…  
  
"Just a headache, that's all… You don't need to worry about me Erika… There are a lot more important things to worry about, your gym for one thing. People will get mad that you're not there… Oh. And how are Nick, and my pokemon? They didn't get hurt… did they? And why aren't they here? They didn't leave without me, did they?"  
  
"Aiko, you're more important to me then my gym, remember that… And they were here just a minute ago, I think he went to get your aspirin."  
  
"Oh… Thank you…" I watch as Nick walks back in carrying a glass of water and 2 pills.  
  
"Here you go Aiko…" Nick says, handing me the glass and pills. I smile and take them, and swallow the pills using a sip of water.  
  
"Umm… How long until I can go? Apparently I've already been here for five days, do I really need more?" I ask, not wanting to be in a room so devoid of color for much longer.  
  
"You may leave tomorrow she said, she just wants you to have more rest, and not to push yourself. Though, there is a new gym in this town, and I already challenged them, and won. They used the darkness types, so your Houndour will fit right in." Nick answers. I reach over to my coat that is lying on the chair, I sigh, seeing how torn and destroyed it is.  
  
"I loved this coat…" I reach into the pocket and pull out my hand held computer, which amazingly didn't get destroyed. I take off the pokeball containing LunarFlower, and scan it's stats, finding that destroying the 12 Rattata made it level up to level 9, and learnt sweet scent. "Wow, I'm really proud of LunarFlower, without him, I'd be dead…"  
  
"Nurse Joy said that those Rattata's were bred in captivity, but escaped into the wild, so they were level five with powerful moves like Hyper Fang." Nick informs me.  
  
"Is there anything you don't know? 'Cause seriously, you always know more then me, and I'm beginning to think it's no fair. I always am left in the dark…" I whine out loud at Nick.  
  
"Maybe, obviously I don't know what I don't know…" Nick replies, enigmatically.  
  
"Stop being so damn enigmatic, I'm in too much pain right now…" I mutter at him.  
  
"Kill sport!"  
  
"Whatever…" I fall asleep, still weak from the bloodloss. 


	4. Devoid of color, devoid of light....

Moonlight dances on my eyes as I wake up, the usually white room glowing in the silvery light. I blink a few times, trying to get a sense of where I was, and how I got there… I look to the chairs on the right of me, seeing both Erika and Nick there, sleeping leaning far away from each other, both with looks of unhappiness on their faces. "They must have fought…" I whisper to myself. I sigh, and look back out through the window, watching the stars twinkle like diamonds stuck in the dark blue sky. "Starlight, Star bright, first star I see tonight, I wish I may, I wish I might, have this wish, I wish tonight…" I whisper under my breath, happy no one's watching me. "I wish that we succeed in the Pokemon League… I wish we don't make fools of ourselves." I sigh, and close my eyes again and snuggle closer to my bed, falling back asleep to the sound of chirping Poliwhirls.  
  
Sunlight dances onto a large bouquet of flowers sitting on a chair to the right… the chair Erika slept in. I blink, wondering why the bright blue lilies replaced Erika. I reach over, and pick up the delicate looking flowers, trying to find a card amongst the leaves and flower petals. I find a small rose-colored card in the shape of a Jumpluff resting on one of the leaves. I grin and open the card, finding more of Erika's unintelligently messy scribbles.  
  
Dear Aiko,  
  
I have to go back to the Celadon Gym, phone me when you go to Violet city, I know you'll do great. Your Oddish is strong… Don't forget, your Oddish will not be strong against the flying type in the Violet City Gym. Your Houndour has resistance to the Dark gym in Cherrygrove; I have faith in your ability. Good luck!  
  
Luv, Erika!  
  
Ps: GO GET THEM!!! SHOW THEM THE POWER OF THE RAINBOW FAMILY! AHAHAHAHAAHAHA!!!  
  
I shudder at the thought of Erika cackling evilly while writing the note. I just realize Nick wasn't there, and look around nervously, grabbing my backpack from a shelf, I quickly pull out my all green clothes, and get dressed. I run out of the room quickly, with my pokeballs in my pocket until I repair my jacket. I run out to the diner part of the Pokecenter, and see Nick sitting on a chair, with a large bowl of cereal in front of him. I wrap my arms around myself, still feeling some pain from the huge gashes left by the attack.  
  
"Mornin Aiko pleased to see you're up! I was wondering if I should start callin ya sleepy beauty, only compared to you, she seemed like an insomniac." Nick greets me with a chuckle, his bright blue hair still not done up, making it go up in random tuffs and look very messy.  
  
"Are you saying you find me beautiful? Does that mean you are going to ask me out on a date so we can fuck like 2 Pikachu?" I ask, winking at him, making him blush a deep crimson and look down into his cereal. "Awww! How cute, my wittle boyfwiend is bwushing" I baby him pinching his crimson cheeks, making them blush even more. I grin and sit down across from him, watching him blush and eat trying to brush it off.  
  
I pull my jacket and some blue thread and a needle from my jacket, and start sewing up the holes, sighing loudly. Nick just keeps eating, from time to time, looking up and watching me while he thinks I can't see him. His blush faded, but was replaced by an eerily observant look. I quickly finish sewing up the holes, making the jacket look new; Nurse Joy must have washed it, because there are no bloodstains. I pull my jacket over top of my t-shirt and short ensemble, and place the pokeballs in order of level, from Vulpix to Oddish. "Nick, you said you went to the gym here, and beat it, right? How many and what pokemon did they use?" I ask, breaking the twenty-minute silence.  
  
"The gym members mostly use Murkrow, but the Gym Leader uses Umbreon, Houndour and Sneasel." Nick replies, almost sounding electronic.  
  
"Hn… I have no major strength against the Murkrows, but, I'll use Aquamarine against Umbreon, Shadow Flare against Houndour, and Fire Tails against Sneasel." I think out loud, still wondering what to use on the Murkrow. "I guess I'll use Aquamarine, Shadow Flare and Fire Tails against the Murkrow to level them up. I just hope I don't fail…"  
  
"You'll do fine, remember, you beat Ayden?" Nick says, grinning.  
  
"Umm, if you don't mind, I have ta go shower, I haven't done it since I was knocked out…" I mutter, getting up and nodding again to Nick. "I'll meet ya here in an hour, then we can demolish the gym, then skip and sing we're off to see the wizard?"  
  
"Sounds like a plan!" Nick says with a laugh. I walk to the bathroom, and undress, blushing mildly and turning on the shower, and walk into the powerful, hot water. I wash my hair, almost moaning as I rub in the bubbly shampoo. After a very cleansing shower, I get re-dressed, blushing slightly at the idea of me taking a public shower, even if no one was there watching me. I walk out of the bathroom after brushing my teeth, and putting my hair in a loose ponytail. I walk out, and walk over to the Nurse Joy behind the counter serving the food to everyone.  
  
"Good morning! May I please have toast with butterfree honey on it?"  
  
"Sure…2.95, here you go!"  
  
"Thanks!" I take the food and head towards the table Nick was still sitting at. I grin at him, and cut the toast into smaller pieces using the plastic knives provided by the Pokecenter. I eat my food, wondering why Nick was so quiet… "Hey Nick? You awake?"  
  
"Oh? Yeah, just thinking how it's a long, bug filled walk from here to Violet City. Why did there have to be bugs? I mean bugs are the incarnation of evil!" Nick ranted, shuddering a little every time he mentioned bugs.  
  
With a savage grin, I lick the honey off my lips, "What? Are you saying you're scared of bugs? Don't you like bugs? I think bugs are really cute and bugarific. I can't wait until we go to the bug gym in Azalea because the bugs there are so cute! I'm going to go catch as many bug pokemon as I can!" I say, watching him twitch and pale each time I mention the word bug.  
  
"Shut up! Bugs are the incarnation of eeeviiill!! Eeeeviiiilll!! You shouldn't get them! They are evil!" Nick screeches, his voice an octave higher.  
  
"Oh? Are you being discriminating against bugs and evil? You are so mean! It's not their fault!" I grin and pretend to be mad at him.  
  
"Are you discriminating against Ayden because he's mean and rude? Honestly Aiko, your so rude!" He jokes right back, earning a glare.  
  
"Do as I say, not what I do."  
  
"Oh, real mature."  
  
"I am, aren't I?"  
  
"Hypocrite."  
  
"Speciesist!" With that made up word, we both break out in laughter, and I return to eating my breakfast. I glance up on occasions, feeling Nick's eyes resting on me. A slight blush covers my cheeks as I finish my meal being stared at. I get up from the table, and throw the paper plate away, and walk back over to Nick. "Come on, let's go!"  
  
"Goodie… We're off to the gym, the wonderful gym of Cherrygrove." Nick replies, getting up. "If we start singing that, does it mean we should skip with our arms linked?"  
  
"I don't think so, some how, that just seems so contradictory of my personality.'  
  
"Okay! Let's go!" With Nick's cheer, we head out towards the gym, which stood out since it was the only pure black building in the entire city. It looms eerily right by the ocean, the large black pointed spires protruding from the top reflect in the water, looking like large hands reaching out across the water. I sigh and push the large temple-like doors open, rewarded with dim light, almost like a cave. I look around, seeing 2 people training their Murkrows, the pitch-black bird pokemon almost fading into the darkness. The trainers look at me, insane grins on their face.  
  
"Have you come to challenge the leader? Let us see if you're ready!" One of them yells across to me, their voice echoing in the dark room. "Go! Murkrow!" The said pokemon flies in-between us, landing on the ground with a cry.  
  
"Your bird looks so boring… Go Fire Tails!" I throw the pokeball out, and out comes the Vulpix. "Fire Tails, use your ember!" Fire Tails launches a small blast of fire from his mouth, aiming right for the dark bird's head.  
  
"Murkrow, avoid it!" The obvious command echoes the room; the said dark pokemon merely ducks and kneels down, letting the fire pass right over it's head.  
  
"Try it again Fire Tails! You can do it!" I encourage my fox pokemon, hoping for it to succeed. On cue, another hot blast of fire escapes the red fox's mouth, adding more light to the room, and heading straight for the sitting Murkrow.  
  
"Try to avoid it!!!" The other trainer yells again to no avail, as the fire blast hits the sitting crow, knocking it back, making it screech in pain. Unlike Air Crystal, who we fought earlier, the bird pokemon didn't go down so easily. It flared its wings, making it look more intimidating… It screeches again, obviously highly agitated that the short fox had the gull to burn it.  
  
"Murkrow! Use your peck attack!" The trainer yells to the pokemon, setting it into the air at Fire Tails.  
  
"Don't let it hit you! It looks pretty strong!" I urge, watching the battle almost helplessly. Murkrow raises higher, fading into the darkness near the ceiling. "Fire Tails, launch fire at the ceiling, and keep moving!" A small blast of fire jumps from the multi tailed fox's mouth, and hurtles towards the ceiling, lighting it up in with a fiery blaze that quickly showed the attacking Murkrow before hitting the metal roof and fading back to nothingness. "Again!" Another blast hurtles towards the roof, this time, snagging the bird right in the wing, causing it to lose height as its wing temporarily engulfs in flame. I watch, crossing my fingers hoping that the dark pokemon doesn't last any longer. After watching the fiery fall, the bird hits the solid ground with a painful sounding thump.  
  
"Murkrow! Return!" The trainer recalls his pokemon, the crimson light temporarily lighting the darkness. The other trainer hands him another pokeball, muttering something that sounded ominous. "Let's try this again… Go, Sneasel!"  
  
With that shouted command, I launch a glare at Nick, "Only Murkrow, eh? Obviously, you don't know as much as you think!" I say, hoping he doesn't take it wrongly, it was meant as a joke… I look at my panting Vulpix, and realize it'd be folly to keep it out for this battle without resting it first. "Fire Tails, return. Go, Shadow Flare!" I look our opponent over; it was around 2'11 with a solidly dark violet body minus the brighter crystal feather like objects protruding from it's ear and rear, and milk white claws. It stood nearly a foot taller then my Houndour, and looked dangerously pointy. "This will be fairly easy… I hope… Shadow Flare, can you try to do what Murkrow did, and fade into the shadows?" After my request was made, the skull capped dog pokemon disappears into the shadows; the only parts left visible is the skullcap that flickered an ivory light, and the glistening metal. I blink in shock at the frightening image before me, a semi-hovering skull floating in the darkness with glistening metal, it was almost enough to make me want to run and hide behind Nick.  
  
"Sneasel, try to do the same!" After the demand is made, the cat-like creature fades into the shadow, the tear-shaped marking on its head glowing on and off in the darkness, and its crystal tails and ear reflecting the light eerily.  
  
"Houndour, use your Ember! Aim for the glowing tear!" I yell out, watching the glowing shapes circle around each other, seemingly hovering in the air. The shadowy room lights up brightly as a blast of fire gets hurled at the hovering tear shaped marking. The now revealed Sneasel moves quickly, avoiding the fire blast easily.  
  
"Sneasel, use your Scratch attack!" The glowing tear flickers off again, allowing the dark cat pokemon to effectively disappear into the shadows.  
  
"Quickly! Use your ember to see where the thing is!" I yell, hoping that my Houndour is all right… I see light come from Shadow Flares mouth, illuminating a small area around him, his ears twitched, obviously listening for the opposing ice cat.  
  
The flickering light around Houndour all of a sudden shoots forward, destroying the depths of the shadows. I watch stunned as the fire hits the shadow cat right in the chest, however, not knocking it out. I pull out my hand held computer, and analyze the enemy I can't see, checking it's level, damage, and stats. "Holy…" I trail off, realizing this must be the Gym Leaders Sneasel… The computer shows it to be level eleven, with its half- life remaining. "Good thing we have type advantage…" I mutter, "You can do it Shadow Flare, another hit will knock it out!" The area around the weaker pokemon glows eerily again in a dome of flickering amber light. I see a flash of darkness pierce the light, and launch itself at Shadow Flare, long pointed claws slashing in a wide arc right for Shadow Flare.  
  
I gasp as Shadow Flare releases its fiery blast too late… The slash leaves a large gash in between the left eye of its skull down to just below the real right eye; the Sneasel however, fell down shortly after gasping in pain at the part burnt by the fire attacks. The ice part of it severely weakened it to Shadow Flares Ember attack. "Oh no! Shadow Flare! Are you all right?" I run over to my wounded pokemon, and wrap my arms around its neck. "You're bleeding…" I pull a handkerchief from my pocket, and wipe up some of the blood that's falling out, staining the once emerald green to a crimson-brown. I glare at the other pokemon, blaming it without reason. I continue to wipe blood off of the injured pokemon, sighing, unable to go get the potion from my backpack, too worried that my pokemon might feel like I'm leaving it.  
  
I glance over, rewarded with the sight of Nick rushing over and pulling a potion from my backpack, and rushing over to my injured pokemon and I spraying the healing fluid onto the large, painful looking cut. The cut glows, looking rather mystical and awe-inspiring, but slowly fades, revealing a soft peach colored scar, making the already tough looking dog look tougher. The line remains constant, between the skull's left eye down through just above the nostrils, to just below the chocolate brown eye. I hug my pokemon tighter, happy that it's healed. "I'm proud of you, Shadow Flare. You not only defeated a level eleven pokemon, but you tried your best. I'm proud of you…" I watch as the vile demon cat was taken back into its pokeball, the trainers looking extremely nervous. I softly kiss Shadow Flares scar, and stand up. "Shadow Flare, Return…" With the crimson glow, Shadow Flare disappears, and Nick and I step out of the battle area. "Do you have any more pokemon, or am I declared as the winner?"  
  
"It's not over yet! Go, Murkrow!" The trainer yells, throwing the pokeball that opened up in crimson energy. Unlike the last two pokemon, this Murkrow looks weak, frail and dangerously thin. I blink, expecting a stronger, less near death opponent for this round. I pull out my compact computer, and look at its stats, almost erupting with laughter.  
  
"You're challenging me with a level one? That's pathetic! Go, Aquamarine." I throw the pokeball, revealing the light blue pokemon. "Use your tackle quickly, and get this mockery of a battle over with, kay?" The fish-dog barked its approval, and leaped quickly at the bird, hitting it square in the chest and knocking it back a few feet. I sigh, watching the bird struggle to not disappoint its trainer. "I'm sure you'll be an extremely strong pokemon someday! Just, your still too young, but… Don't let this hurt your pride kay?" I call out, feeling really bad for the other pokemon looking so pitiful. The other trainer recalls his Murkrow, with a sad, defeated look in his eyes.  
  
"Okay, that's all we got. Here you go, you're free to go try yourself with the leader any time you want." He tosses a small sack of money to me; I catch it easily, and grin widely at him.  
  
"Thanks! You were a really difficult opponent!" I call out, walking out to get my pokemon healed before I challenge my first gym leader, I shiver nervously while walking hoping to not look like an idiot and make Erika and Nick disappointed in me…I blink, feeling an arm wrap around me, stopping me from shivering. I look back quickly, not expecting this, only to see Nick with a soft blush playing across his cheeks.  
  
"You were shivering… You looked cold…" Nick said, his eyes looking very uncertain and almost scared. "Do you want me to let go?"  
  
"No… please don't?" I lean closer into Nick, thankful for the small town and the lack of people to watch. I sigh contentedly at the warm body heat right next to me, making me feel stronger, strong enough to take something big, pointy and scary on. "I'm just really scared I'll disappoint everyone, and that I'll be a failure…" I mutter, wrapping his arm around me tighter, still shivering a little. He and I both return to normal right before we walk into the Pokecenter, standing a foot away from each other. I walk up to the Nurse Joy who was standing behind the desk, looking obscenely happy. "May I have my pokemon healed?"  
  
"Sure! That'll just be a minute!" Her happy voice replies, almost making me wonder if she's going to die from a Prozac overdose. I hand her my pokeballs, and exactly a minute later, she hands them back, her happy smile even larger then before. "Here you go! Sorry for the wait!" She hands my pokemon to me, I sigh, and reattach the individual balls to the carrier on my jacket.  
  
"Thank you!" I reply, and walk out; slowly walking towards the gym again, slightly hoping Nick would wrap his arms around me again. "Thank you for before Nick…" I look down at the ground, trying to hide my very obvious blushing cheeks. I walk quickly ahead, looking back once, seeing a look of disbelief and awe written on his face. I quickly open the door to the gym, and walk back into the dark realm. I walk back to the trainers, who fought as a team and still failed. "Umm… Where is the leader…?"  
  
"Since you beat us even though we kinda…. stole one of the leaders pokemon, we'll show you. We're normally not supposed to. But, since we weren't supposed to use his pokemon either… With that, they both showed me towards the door, taking me to a decorative looking wall with drawings of dark pokemon in it. They pushed the wall, and it turned, revealing a passageway into an even darker room, one that instead of almost being devoid of light was completely. "He is through there… Good luck… You'll need it!"  
  
I run through the dark tunnel, crashing into the door at the end, and falling right on my erm… butt. I stand back up, and feel around for the doorknob, eventually finding and opening the door. What hid behind the door is breathtakingly opposite; there is a large tree-like structure in the middle, and a glowing white floor. On the large platforms of the structure the light seemed to be absorbed, leaving massive shadows in their wake, leaving nothing but pure black to contrast the otherwise completely white room. A woman dressed in black, with long mid-back black hair stood, leaning against the wall, her ivory skin looking as if it was glowing in the light.  
  
"Hey, are you the gym leader?" I yell over to her, earning the response of a glare.  
  
"Yes, I am the Mistress of the dark pokemon, and the leader of this gym. Normally I would accept any challenge, however; since I lost my Sneasel, I refuse to combat until I locate it." Her voice gives no room for debate, her glare magnifying to almost strong enough to melt steel.  
  
"Your Sneasel was used by the gym members, they still lost." I say, hoping that would be a satisfactory answer.  
  
"Fine. I Krista here by accept your challenge. If you win, which I seriously doubt, you will be awarded with the Void Badge. Go, Umbreon." The white room flashes red as the ringed black pokemon appears.  
  
"This match will be interesting… Go, Aquamarine!" I throw the pokeball containing said water pokemon, making the room go crimson yet again.  
  
"A Vaporeon? Hn, this will indeed be interesting. Umbreon, utilize your tackle attack."  
  
"Aquamarine! Do the same!" I see both the pokemon leaping off the platforms, gaining more momentum as they both leap savagely at each other, crashing mid air their heads and shoulders crashing into each other. I blink, not expecting them both to get up, and start Circling around each other, bouncing from platform to platform. The darker cousin leaps at the bright blue fish-dog, trying to tackle it again. The response is Aquamarine using it's long fishtail and slapping Umbreon in the side, a loud "THWACK" being heard in the room, knocking the pokemon across the gym into a wall. It stands up shakily; it's crimson eyes glaring at the Sapphire eyed cousin. They start circling around again, tails swishing, fangs bared even though they weren't ready to bite. They both lunge for each other again, crashing mid-air again and crumpling down. The Vaporeon slams his tail against Umbreon again, knocking it back to the core holding the platforms up. Umbreon stands up, looking very tired, and ready to quit, panting heavily; it quickly crashes back down onto the ground, earning a loud cheer of joy from me. "YAHH!! Way to go Aquamarine, you did great, I'm really proud of you! Way to go!" I pull out my compact, hand held computer, and check Aquamarines new stats, finding happily it went up to level 7. "Way to go!"  
  
Wasting no time, the other trainers shout of "Go, Houndour, this match is up to you!" the opposing dog pokemon barks in agreement.  
  
"Aquamarine, return." I check the stats of the offending pokemon, finding it to be at level 10, and equipped with the tm-learned ability, thief. "Go, Houndour!" My black, skull capped pokemon appears in a crimson light, looking at the other Houndour with a look of amusement in it's eyes.  
  
"Houndour, use your Ember!"  
  
"Shadow Flare, use your Ember!" Both attacks are called at the same time, and echo into the large room. Both dogs shoot fire at the same time, both flares crashing in the middle and burning out uselessly.  
  
"Use your leer!" both orders are yelled, and yet again, the frightening glare intersects in the middle and does nothing of use.  
  
"Ember!" fire meets fire, but doesn't go any farther.  
  
"Okay… Use your Thief!" She yells, determined to not let me win.  
  
"Counter it with your roar!" Shadow Flare's roar echoes loudly, scaring the opposing Houndour from getting too close.  
  
"Am I the only one who sees no point in this? Both of the Houndours are equally matched. I give up, it'd be pointless to continue." I blink in shock, but grin.  
  
"That means I get the badge right?" I ask, hoping that I wouldn't lose out because of this.  
  
"Yes. I reward you with the Void Badge, here." She tosses me a curvy badge that was a deep black, which looked as if it were made out of Volcanic glass.  
  
"Thank you very much…" I say, waving and walking out of the only well lighted place in the building. I walk out of the dark, completely opposite of my gym, gym. I see Nick sitting on the edge of the curb, looking rather bored. I grin and silently walk right behind him, and wrap my arms around him in a hug. I feel his muscles tense, he mustn't have expected it. He quickly looks back, and looks at me in shock. I just grin and say "Lets go, we can make it to the Berry Farm hotel if we go now?"  
  
"Sure, lets go!" We both stand up, and walk quickly out of the small town, watching as the forest and long grass quickly takes over. The sun sets down slowly, filling the once blue sky with amber, rose and orange colors, making it look breathtakingly natural. I grin as we keep walking as the sun disappears from the sky, and all that's left is the glittering stars, and the silvery moon.  
  
"Star light, Star bright, first star, I see tonight, I wish I may, I wish I might, have this wish, I wish tonight." I whisper, blushing slightly at my own childish behavior. I wish… I wish that I find true love. I blush even deeper, realizing just how childish and innocent I must look. The air is filled with the sound of Hoothoots hooting loudly, almost like natural music. Until, they are silenced by the sound of a screeching young man to the left of me. I blink, and look at Nick wondering why he was screaming. "What the hell?"  
  
"It's a…. It's a… BUUUGGG!!!!!!" Nick squeals loudly, pointing right in front of us. A large web was cast in between two large trees, almost invisible in the moonlight, and waiting in the center was a Spinarak, looking at us as if we were psychotic.  
  
"Aww…. Cool! Air Crystal, go!" Throwing the pokeball containing the daytime bird lighting the area in a crimson light. It flies around waiting for an order, watching the Spinarak hungrily. "Use your tackle on the top strands of the web… Use it's own web to trap it." I command, watching the small bird swoop and cut strands of the web down, again and again, making the top of the web start to sag until it falls and traps the spider in its own home. "Pokeball, go!" I throw my pokeball, absorbing the pokemon in a white light. The ball jiggles ferociously as the yellow spider tries to escape the confines of the red and gray ball. Luckily, it stayed in, making me jump with euphoria. "WOOOHOOO!!! I CAUGHT A BUG! YAHHH!!!!" I see Nick wince almost overly exaggerated.  
  
"Why oh why did you have to catch a bug? They're evil. And mean… and spiders not only poison their prey they SUCK THEIR BLOOD!" Nick shouts, near hysterical. I just grin at him hugging him tightly trying to make him calm down.  
  
"Wouldn't you rather something like that with us, in order to talk to and prevent things like that from being against us?" I say, holding him until his body stops' twitching in the scared, erratic manner it was. "Calm down Nick… It's just a pokemon, it's not going to hurt you…"  
  
"Okay…" He sighs, his heart rate slowing down from the billion beats a second from before. "Let's just keep going, there aren't bugs at the hotel, which is just…. Around fifteen minutes from here." We break apart, and continue walking, following the small trail of light leading us to our destination. 


End file.
